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NYU professor Scott Galloway said Monday on “The Prof G Pod” that he sold all of his stocks in an emotional reaction to President Donald Trump’s 2016 election victory, taking a major tax hit before buying back into a more expensive market months later, a decision he estimated cost him 40% of his liquid net worth in stocks.
Galloway, a professor of marketing at NYU Stern, called the move his “biggest investment mistake” during the “Office Hours” edition of the podcast as he warned listeners about allowing emotions to drive investment decisions.
“So when he was elected in 2016, I sold all my stocks,” he said. “That was stupid. The market ripped for the next year. There was so much insecurity about him actually winning that the fear had been priced in. Stocks ripped up.”
Scott Galloway said selling all his stocks after Trump’s 2016 election victory was his “biggest investment mistake” and estimated it cost him 40% of his liquid net worth in stocks. (Getty Images for Vox Media)
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Galloway said the selloff also triggered taxes on significant capital gains while he was living in New York. He said he returned to the market about six months later after stocks had risen between 10% and 20%, compounding what he described as the cost of the decision.
“So you could argue, at least notionally, that decision cost me 40% of my liquid net worth in stocks,” Galloway said.
White House spokesman Davis Ingle told Fox News Digital Tuesday that Galloway’s continued criticism of Trump reflected what he characterized as an obsession with the president.
“Scott Galloway should immediately seek psychiatric help to treat his severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome that has completely rotted his peanut-sized brain,” Ingle said.
Galloway said he triggered a major tax bill by selling his portfolio before buying back into the market months later at higher prices. (SXSW Conference & Festivals via)
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Galloway criticized Trump, saying he believed the president’s economic and foreign policies could ultimately damage the U.S. economy.
“I think the president is a f—ing idiot and a stain on the American experience and that the grand sum of all of these head up your a– economic and foreign policy decisions will eventually crash this economy or result in long-term structural damage that will take decades if not generations to repair,” Galloway said.
The stock market rose substantially following Trump’s 2016 presidential victory. According to the federal government’s 2017 Economic Report of the President, the S&P 500 climbed 3.4% in November 2016 and reached a then-record high later that month. The 2018 report said the index went on to gain 19.4% in 2017, posting increases in 11 of the year’s 12 months.
White House spokesman Davis Ingle blasted Galloway after the NYU professor renewed his criticism of Trump while recounting the costly investment decision. (REUTERS/Annabelle Gordon)
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Galloway said his experience reinforced his view that investors should remain in the market rather than attempt to anticipate political or economic turning points. While discussing current elevated valuations, he recommended diversification instead of trying to predict exactly when stocks will decline.
“Trying to guess when the top happens is dangerous,” Galloway said. “Probably my biggest investment mistake was the emotional reaction I had to the 2016 election of Donald Trump.”
“And what the government does matter, but the majority of the economy just grinds on regardless of who is tweeting what or not tweeting what,” he continued.
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Galloway predicted Trump would ultimately abandon his 2024 presidential campaign as part of a plea agreement that would keep him out of jail. Trump remained in the race and returned to the White House after winning the 2024 presidential election.
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Fox News Digital reached out to Galloway for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.